Forgetting the Past
by LivingInADream95
Summary: Callie and Brandon work together to move beyond the past and work towards a future together. Can they work or will circumstances prove to be too much? The story starts the night of Mariana's Quinceanera.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This story was originally just going to be a oneshot, but my mind wandered off and decided to add more to the story. There will be another chapter or two at least. I'm not setting any limits on it right now. I'll just see how it goes and see what you guys think of the story. This chapter is written in Callie's POV, but there is a small section written in third person. I know it's a little confusing, but I wanted to add some extra information from Brandon's perspective.**

**Chapter 1:**

**Callie's POV**

I sat on my bed alone in the room Mariana and I shared, writing about my day in my semi-secret journal.

_Dear Journal,_

_Today has been a long day to say the least. Mariana's Quinceanera has been one their family and friends will never forget. The day was filled with drama. Mariana found out about Jesus and Lexi hooking up, Brandon dumped Talya because he found out about her reading my journal. The fact that she is a complete bitch probably didn't help. _

_I don't really know what happened after all of that because I wandered off to the beach after things with Brandon had become too personal for me. Brandon said he knew everything he needed to know about me already and it didn't matter what was written in my journal. He said he didn't need to know about it. What does that even mean? How can he say he knows everything he needs to know about me? Does Brandon have feelings for me? Do I have feelings for him?_

_Journal, this is all so confusing. Jude and I just got here, I don't want to do anything to mess that up. I can't risk getting us kicked out of here. Jude is safe here and that's all that matters. Whatever is going on between Brandon and I needs to stop. We cannot be anything more than friends. Stef and Lena have made it perfectly clear that it's against the rules for us to be together. I'm not going to go against their rules and jeopardize what Jude and I have here over a crush. I can't be that selfish. I have Jude to think about. I'm all he has. I have to be strong for him and I have to put a stop to these feelings._

I sighed and closed the journal, storing it away under my mattress. I had become extra cautious since Talya had read it. I didn't even want to think about how horrible it would be if Stef or Lena read it. The consequences would be catastrophic.

I climbed back onto my bed and laid down, staring up at the ceiling. I had to come up with a plan to get over this crush I had on Brandon. I didn't know how I was going to do that with us living under the same roof. It's not like I could avoid him, nor would I want to. He was the best friend I had. I wasn't sure I'd be able to get over Brandon, but I had to try. At the very least I had to ensure that I didn't let anything happen between us. No hooking up. No stolen kisses. No romantic evenings together. Nothing.

I felt tears prickling my eyes. How could life be so cruel? I finally find the perfect guy, a guy who likes me and treats me right, and I'm not allowed to be with him. Where's the justice in that? Weren't Lena and Stef supposed to be "Cool Moms"? Ha.

As much as I disagreed with them on this issue, because it's not like we were actually brother and sister, and my stay here was only temporary, I had to admit they were the best foster parents I'd had. I was grateful to them for taking Jude and I under their wing.

I had to backtrack my thought once a light bulb clicked on in my mind, '_Wait a minute, if Jude and I are only here temporarily, I can just wait it out with Brandon. There's no stopping us from being together after I leave. Unless we're no longer in the same city…'_

This time I let the tears fall from my eyes. I felt as though the situation were hopeless. I didn't see any way for me to end up happy. I didn't see a way for Brandon and I to be together.

I wiped my eyes roughly and sat up, my resolve growing firm. _'Where there is a will, there's a way,'_ I reasoned. I just needed to think of a way. There was still a minor problem beyond this that I chose to ignore for the time being, I didn't know for sure that Brandon thought of me as anything more than a friend, or god forbid, sister.

As I sat on my bed thinking of a plan Brandon walked in, unbeknownst to me. He stood in the doorway, unnoticed, watching me. A smile on his face.

Callie always had a way of making him smile. He didn't know how he hadn't seen it before today. It had taken him all of this time to realize how perfect she was. He couldn't believe he had been dating a girl like Talya. She was so wrong for him. He knew that now. Brandon knew who he was meant to be with and he was looking at her right now.

I looked up a few minutes later and let out a startled gasp when I spotted Brandon standing in the doorway staring at me. I felt my heartbeat begin to race and my palms grow sweaty. He was looking at me with the most intense gaze I had ever seen in my life and it was doing nothing to alleviate my anxiety.

I couldn't deny that he had that whole smolderingly sexy thing going on. He had a great body, from what I could see. Not too lean, yet not too built. And his curly brown hair. Oh don't get me started on that. The things I'd like to do with this man.

The sexiest thing about Brandon was that he didn't know he was sexy. He didn't flaunt his looks. He was a genuine person who cared about more than how a person looked. I loved that about him. There was more to Brandon than just good looks.

What surprised me the most about him standing there was that I hadn't known he was there. I usually knew he was there the moment he walked into the room. Usually the energy he emitted and the intoxicating smell of his cologne was enough to give away his presence. This was another reason I couldn't see myself getting over Brandon anytime soon. My body responded to him. The fact that I hadn't noticed him must mean that I was deeper in thought than I had realized.

I quickly composed myself and gave him a weak smile. He returned my smile and walked further into the room, glancing around at the various pictures and figurines Mariana had collected over the years.

"I'm surprised you haven't added your own touch to the room, or asked Mariana to take some of this ridiculous stuff down," he said easily.

I looked at him quizzically, assuming the reason why was obvious to us both. Brandon chuckled when he turned his attention back to me, seeing the look on my face. "I guess you're right," he said. "Not much anyone can do to change Mariana's mind."

I nodded and watched him walk around the room, not mentioning the other more obvious reason for my not mentioning anything to Mariana. No one knew how long Jude and I were going to be staying here. There was no sense putting my own personal touch, not that I had anything to put. I didn't want to let myself get too attached. It was already going to be hard enough having to leave Brandon.

"So," he said, voice trembling slightly with nerves, something that did not go unnoticed by me. "I was hoping we could talk about earlier…"

I looked down at the floor, not wanting to have this conversation. "Brandon… We can't," I stammered helplessly. "I know what you're going to say and we just… We can't go there. And like I said, there are things you don't know about me. Things that would change your mind about me."

Brandon approached the bed slowly and sat beside me, turning my face gently with his hand under my chin so that I was looking at him. He moved his hand so it was cupping my now sensitive cheek and looked deeply into my eyes, sending tingles down my spine.

"Callie, nothing could change my mind about you. The past is the past. You're a good person Callie."

There was something about his voice that got to me. It didn't even matter what he was saying, I could get lost in that voice. It was like music, tacky as that may sound. Brandon made me want to be tacky. I wanted to be that cliché couple you see on TV, but there was no chance of that happening.

We stared into each other's eyes for several long seconds before Brandon leaned in slowly. He brushed his thumb over my bottom lip. I trembled from his touch.

"You're so beautiful," he mumbled.

I felt my face heat up at the compliment. I wasn't used to being complimented, or noticed for that matter. Brandon smiled and closed the distance between us, brushing his lips against mine gently. I felt sparks ignite inside my body. I knew the kiss was coming, but I hadn't expected it to feel so electric. All he did was brush his lips against mine, but the passion between us was undeniable.

I returned the kiss, deepening it. Gentle brushing of the lips just wasn't enough. I had plenty of experience kissing and I planned to use that to my advantage. I wanted to wow Brandon, make this kiss something he would never forget.

I was in too deep to stop things now, consequences be damned. The bedroom door was shut and we were home alone, we would have time to stop before anyone spotted us. Who knows if we'd ever get a chance like this again. We had to make the most of it.

I pulled myself onto his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him passionately, running my tongue across his lips, begging for permission. He encircled my waist with his strong arms and opened his mouth slightly, granting me the permission I so desperately sought. My tongue ghosted over his, exploring his mouth slowly. I felt his arms tense up and pull me flush against him as he reciprocated my actions.

I felt a low moan escape my lips as we kissed. He smiled against my lips, kissing me one last time before pulling back slightly for air.

My lungs were on fire, burning for oxygen. My skin felt sensitive and raw, like every touch would send me over the edge. I could feel a warmth pooling in my core. I felt my panties growing moist. We had barely done anything and already I felt like I was at my breaking point. Brandon was just so amazing. The chemistry between us was unbelievable. My fantasies were finally coming true.

I sighed and rested my head against his chest, letting the emotions flow through me. I didn't want this moment to end.

I felt Brandon press his lips to my head gently.

"Mmm, your hair smells nice," he whispered in my ear, his hot breath raising goose bumps on my skin.

I smiled and looked up at him. He looked down at me with that dazzling smile of his and ran his fingers through my hair soothingly. I leaned into his touch, soaking in the moment.

"Callie," he whispered breathlessly.

"Yeah," I replied, my tone matching his.

"We should try that again," he said with a grin.

I chuckled and pressed my lips to his. I pulled back after a few minutes of lazy kissing and said, "You're really something, you know."

He smiled. "I could say the same about you, babe."

He kissed me again, with more intensity than the last time. Our tongues dueling for dominance. I finally gave in and let him lead. He ran his hands along my back, snaking them under my shirt when he reached the bottom of it. He placed his large hands against the small of my now naked back. I sighed contentedly.

I buried my hands in his hair, pulling him as close to me as humanly possible. He responded by grinding his hips against mine. I whimpered helplessly. He was making me lose all control and I was loving every minute of it.

He slowly slid my shirt up my body, caressing my warm skin as he went. I raised my arms above my head to let him take it off completely. He let out a low moan once he had removed my t-shirt, tossing it onto the ground half-hazardly.

I felt self-conscious under his gaze. It's not like this was the first time a guy had seen me in a bra, but this was the first time there were genuine feelings involved. This was the first time it truly mattered what the other person thought of me. Brandon mattered and I was terrified he wouldn't like what he saw.

My fears were dissolved when I heard him grunt and felt his erection press against my thigh. He ground his hips against me involuntarily, overcome with desire. I could see the lust in his eyes. I was sure that same look was being mirrored in my own eyes.

"Callie," he murmured as he leaned in to take my lips between his, moving his hands up to cup my breasts.

"Brandon," I moaned in response, leaning my head back.

There was more to this moment than any I'd had before. This wasn't about getting laid. There was something deeper. There was love. I never thought I'd be saying , or rather thinking, that. Was I really in love with Brandon Foster? Oh boy, I really am in too deep.

Brandon must have noticed my distraction because he stopped what he was doing to watch me questioningly.

"Sorry," I said sweetly. "I guess I got a little lost in thought…"

"What were you thinking about?" he asked politely, not seeming to care too much that I had ruined the moment.

"You… Us…" I said honestly.

It was then that I realized I was still topless, sitting there in only my bra and a pair of shorts. I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling self-conscious again. I didn't feel comfortable about my body, not after what my last foster father had done to me. That was yet another thing to add to the list of things Brandon didn't know about me. Maybe I should tell him now before we go too far.

Brandon's intuition was really spot on because he noticed right away that something was bothering me. He reached out and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me to him. He started to stroke my hair and whisper to me soothingly. I tried to hold back my tears, but I just couldn't do it. Brandon was being so sweet and caring that I was finally able to just let out the tears I had been holding back for so long.

I sat there curled up in his arms, sobbing uncontrollably for what felt like hours. Brandon sat there and comforted me, never asking me for an explanation. He gave me time to grieve over my past and finally let it all out.

Eventually I was finally able to stop bawling. I slowly got my crying under control and was able to just sit there in Brandon's arms in silence. Brandon sat there and waited until I was ready to talk, he didn't push me to say anything.

I took a deep breath preparing to explain myself, ready to confess my past to someone.

"There's something I need to tell you," I said, voice shaky.

Brandon looked me in the eyes and continued to stroke my hair as he said, "Okay, take your time Callie. There's no rush. I'm here for you baby. I'm not going anywhere."

He smiled at me reassuringly and I returned the smile weakly. I dropped my gaze, unable to look at him when I spoke. I wouldn't be able to bear the look of disgust that was likely to cross his face when I told him.

"It's about my last foster father… There's more to the story. The abuse wasn't only physical," I said, voice cracking at the end.

Brandon pulled me closer, hugging me tightly. He knew what I was going to say without me having to say it, something I was grateful for. I don't know if I would have been able to actually get the words out.

"Oh Callie," he whispered softly. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," I said weakly. "I understand if you want to walk away. I wouldn't blame you…"

I was interrupted by Brandon's lips crashing into mine. "Nothing you could say would make me want to leave Callie," he said firmly.

I rested my forehead against his and felt a tear roll down my cheek. He brushed it away with the pad of his thumb.

"I'm sorry for ruining the moment," I said with a weak smile.

Brandon chuckled lightly and kissed my cheek.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, or added this story to their favourites list. You all push me to write more. I'm sorry if this story seems a little choppy at times, I'm not used to writing stories from first person POV. Story ideas are always welcome, especially because I'm not quite sure where I want to take this story. What started out as an idea for a oneshot has turned into a full-blown story.**

**Chapter 2:**

**Callie's POV**

A few days have passed since my confession to Brandon. Brandon has been extremely supportive, something that seems to come naturally to him. He didn't tell anyone what I had told him and has not been treating me any differently than he did before. He still treats me like a normal human being, not the train wreck with a screwed up past. I couldn't have asked for a better friend.

Friend really wasn't the right word to describe the relationship between Brandon and I, but right now I'm not entirely sure what is. We are more than friends, but we aren't lovers. We are not a couple. I don't know what to make of us to be completely honest. I know it's something we need to talk about, but I still don't know if I'm ready to go there.

Brandon is the only real friend I've ever had and I don't want to jeopardize that. Not only that, but what if CPS finds Jude and I a home in another state? What happens then? I don't want to start something knowing that it is doomed to fail. That wouldn't be fair to either of us. I have to figure something out, that's for sure.

Brandon and I have not kissed since that night. We've barely touched at all since then, just the odd brush of hands as we walk passed each other. It is starting to make me uneasy. I find myself having second thoughts as to whether or not Brandon really likes me as more than a friend. I think I may have scared him off with my past. He said that nothing could change the way he feels about me, but if that's true then why hasn't he touched me since that night? Does he feel uncomfortable around me? Is it like the night I arrived where he sees me as this fragile little girl who could fall apart at the slightest gust of wind? I don't want that. I need to get Brandon alone and talk to him.

The idea of talking about my insecurities with someone terrifies me, but I know I can trust him. I have to. I have to learn to let people in. I can't keep these walls up forever. Who better to let in than the guy I think I'm falling in love with?

A few minutes later Lena was at the bottom of the stairs, calling us all down for dinner. I hopped off of my bed, grateful for the distraction, and headed to the bathroom to wash my hands, the scents of dinner wafting up the stairs and hitting my nostrils in a full assault. I inhaled a deep breath of the delicious aroma. I'm still not used to the smell of an actual home cooked meal. At my other foster homes it was always quick and easy food like TV dinners or greasy take out. Prison was slightly better, but still nothing compared to a home cooked meal. Prison food was mediocre in quality, which beat foster food, but it was always cold and you were lucky if you didn't find a stray hair in your dish.

I can't even remember the last time I had a home cooked meal before coming here. Probably before my mom passed away.

I felt tears threatening to fall at the thought of my mother. I tried not to think about her, it was too painful. I had never really had time to grieve. After she died my stepfather started beating me, blaming me for her death. When CPS found out, after he started getting sloppy, I was placed into foster care. It's hard to grieve the loss of a loved one when you're being moved from foster home to foster home, more focused on protecting your brother than letting yourself feel. Jude and I never felt like we belonged. Not until now.

This place feels like home. Lena and Stef treat Jude and I like family. I know it's only temporary and I shouldn't let myself get so attached, but it's hard to not let yourself feel the love in this house. This is what I want. I want a home. Somewhere where I belong and people love me for who I am. I not only want that for me, but for Jude as well. He was so young when mom died. He needs parents who love him. I just wish there was some way that we could convince Lena and Stef to keep us.

As I was walking out of the bathroom, too focused on my thoughts to really pay attention to what was going on in front of me, I bumped into Brandon. Literally.

I was walking out the bathroom door when we collided, the shock knocking me off-balance. Brandon was quick to react, reaching out to grip my arms and steady me. I smiled at him tentatively.

"You okay?" he asked, returning my smile with his bright one.

"Oh… Yeah. I'm okay. Just a little distracted. Sorry for uh running into you," I stammered, chuckling nervously at the end.

Brandon gave me a curious look and said, "It's no problem. I'm used to it, living in a house of seven after all. I don't mind being bumped into every now and then. Especially when it's by a cute girl."

He gave me a sly wink as he finished talking. I was too busy focused on my own stupidity to really notice.

'_Pull yourself together Callie. Since when do you stumble over your words with guys?'_ I scolded.

Brandon is the only guy I've ever felt this jittery around. Every time I'm near him I get butterflies in my stomach and I get all tongue tied. Just another thing to add to my list of things to get a grip on.

I sighed in defeat, inadvertently catching Brandon's attention. Was he always this attentive?

_'Think of how great he must be in the bedroom… No Callie. Now is not the time to get in touch with your horny teenager side.'_ My mind really seemed to have a mind of its own these days.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern written on his face.

Was he always this nice? Didn't he ever get sick of being perfect?

"Just thinking about what a klutz I've become," I replied jokingly, not wanting to tell him what was really on my mind.

Brandon laughed and shook his head light heartedly, his smile reaching his eyes. I felt a smile of my own curving my lips. Another one of the many affects Brandon has on me. I cannot help but smile when I see him smiling. His happiness is contagious. Oh boy, am I in deep or what?

Dinner was going by smoothly. Mariana was talking a mile a minute about her day. Jesus was staring dreamily into space, probably daydreaming about Lexi. Jude was practically inhaling his dinner, still not used to good food.

I tried time and time again to get him to use some manners, I knew he had them hidden somewhere in the back of his mind, but there was no budging on the issue. Lena and Stef didn't seem to mind much, so I had given up trying last week, deciding to just let it slide for the time being.

Lena and Stef were asking all of us about our day, trying to engage each of us. Mariana was more than happy to fill us in on the details of her day, of course, but the rest of us were pretty quiet. Lena and Stef must be used to it by now because neither of them pushed. They just let us carry on as we were, focusing their attention on Mariana's overly dramatic lunch story. At least we had made it to noon by now. I was starting to feel like this story would take all night. How much could really happen in one day at school?

Suddenly Brandon had my small hand wrapped in his larger one. I tensed up in surprise, but other than that I made sure to give no indication that anything was going on underneath the table.

After the initial shock of Brandon taking my hand in his and resting our hands on my thigh wore off, I was able to relax. I squeezed his hand, letting him know that I was okay with the intimate gesture. He kept his face turned towards the conversation taking place, but I saw a smile appear when I squeezed his hand.

I guess Brandon wasn't scared off after all. I smiled at the thought. I was glad that he was still interested in me. You'd think I'd be nervous about someone noticing what we were doing, but the physical contact made me too relaxed to care. It's funny, Brandon being close to me usually makes me nervous, but at times like this, him being close puts me at ease.

Brandon rubbed his thumb along the back of my hand as we sat there listening to Mariana, Lena and Stef adding the odd sentence into the conversation.

There is always a friendly atmosphere at dinner, whether it's because of the comfort food or the company I'm not entirely sure. Not that it really matters what the cause of it is. What matters is that we're all happy. Dinner time always reinforces the sense of family that comes with living with the Fosters. Meals together are one of the things I'm going to miss most when Jude and I have to leave. Although I won't miss this nearly as much as I'll miss Brandon.

After dinner I headed up to my room. I knew I'd have the room to myself because Mariana was going out to meet her latest love interest, some poetry guy who did not seem like her type.

I sat on my bed writing in my journal until the tension of my unresolved issues with Brandon became too much. I had to go talk to him. I had to tell him how I felt and just see where the chips fell. I couldn't keep dancing around the issue anymore. I couldn't keep pretending that nothing happened.

I was sick of always hiding the way I felt. I've never felt like I could trust anyone, but Brandon is changing all of that for me. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I can trust someone. I know Brandon would never do anything to hurt me, let alone betray my trust. I can count on him. That is probably why I've been falling for him in the first place. It is time I confess to more than just my past. It's time I forget about the past and work towards a future.

I eased off of my bed, brushing my hands over my clothes, smoothing out any wrinkles, running my fingers through my hair, and finally heading towards Brandon's room. I knock firmly on the door and wait for him to respond.

"Come in," comes a muffled voice from within the room.

I slowly ease the door open, take a deep calming breath, and step inside, closing the door behind me.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I'm warning you all now that this chapter is rated M for a reason. This is the smutty chapter a lot of you have been waiting for. I'm nervous about this one. I don't know if I was too detailed or not detailed enough, but I'll just put it out there and see how things go. I hope it's not too bad.**

**Chapter 3:**

**Callie's POV**

_ I ease off of my bed, brushing my hands over my clothes, smoothing out any wrinkles, running my fingers through my hair, and finally heading towards Brandon's room. I knock firmly on the door and wait for him to respond._

_ "Come in," comes a muffled voice from within the room._

_ I slowly ease the door open, take a deep calming breath, and step inside, closing the door behind me._

I'm greeted by the sight of Brandon sitting at his keyboard scribbling down notes to a new composition he's working on. He has a real gift for music. When I'm feeling stressed I like to replay the melody of that first composition he played for me in my head. I can still remember which parts represent each family member. He's right, they sound beautiful when put together. Maybe some day he will write a song about us.

After he writes out the line he has in his mind, he looks up at me and smiles.

"Hey," I say casually, trying to ease the knots that are forming in my stomach.

"Hey, beautiful. Do you want to hear the song I've been working on?" he asks, patting the spot beside him.

I nod and sit beside him gingerly. I try to sit as far away from him as I can, but that's not much of an option when we're both sitting on the small piano bench. Even with me sitting right at the edge, our legs are still touching and I'm close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body. It's sending sparks through my body, raising goose bumps on my arms. I'm hoping he doesn't notice.

"It's not finished yet," he warns me.

I smile. "That's okay. I'd love to hear what you have so far," I say enthusiastically.

I'm not used to feeling excited about things, or really feeling at all, but when it comes to Brandon, everything is exhilarating.

Brandon smiles and begins to play the song. I see a slight blush colour his cheeks, causing my stomach to do flip flops.

I watch Brandon's long experienced fingers as they glide over the keys, listening to the calming melody that fills the air. It's a happy song with a light and cheery beat. He had me hooked from the very first note.

I was so lost in the rhythm of the music that it took me a second to realize he had stopped playing.

I open my eyes, not sure when I had closed them. I look over at him to find him watching me, a nervous look on his face.

"That bad?" he asks with an uneasy chuckle.

I look at him in surprise, feeling my eyes bug out a little at his interpretation of my eyes being closed.

"That was amazing, Brandon! I knew you were good, but I had no idea… I mean that was… Wow," I gush.

I quickly shut myself up, realizing that my mouth was getting ahead of itself. I seem to be having another case of verbal diarrhea. I really need to get a handle on myself around Brandon.

Brandon turns himself towards me, moving his leg so he is straddling the bench, a leg on either side. I mimic his movements. We stare into each other's eyes for a few seconds and then I feel Brandon placing his warm palm to my cheek, cupping it gently.

He rubs his thumb along my cheekbone, gazing at me with intense passion. Then he slowly leans in and kisses me. He takes my soft lips between his slightly rougher ones. The kiss starts off gentle and sweet, but quickly turns bruising and passionate.

Brandon moves his hands so that they're resting on my lower back, holding me protectively. I move myself closer to him and tangle my fingers in his curly brown hair. He responds by pulling me even closer. We are now flush against each other, panting for breath.

I push myself back a little and start unbuttoning his shirt, taking my time. Once I have all of the buttons undone I push his shirt open and run my hands along his chest and down his toned stomach. I bite my bottom lip, taking in the sight of his muscles.

I've seen glimpses of Brandon without a shirt on, but never like this. I slowly pull his shirt off and let it fall to the ground. I smile up at him shyly and he looks down at me and kisses me again.

I feel him inching my shirt up as we kiss, caressing my body as he goes. I shiver as his hands graze over my bra on their journey up my body. I pull back from the kiss and lift my arms, allowing him to take my shirt off. He gently pulls my t-shirt up over my head and tosses it onto the floor next to his.

For a few moments we sit there in silence and look each other over, admiring the other's body. Memorizing every curve, every imperfection. Taking it all in.

Suddenly Brandon stands up, picking me up so that I'm facing him. I wrap my legs around his hips and giggle. He smiles at me and bends his head down to place a gentle kiss on my lips before he walks us over to his bed.

He lowers me to the bed, placing me down softly. I'm now laying on my back looking up at him standing at the foot of the bed. I bite my bottom lip nervously, feeling very exposed. Brandon moans softly.

"God I love it when you do that," he says huskily.

Before I can react Brandon is on top of me. He kisses my forehead, my nose, my chin, then finally my lips. He kisses me passionately for a few moments then continues his journey down my body. He nips at my earlobe and sucks on it gently to relive the prick of pain.

He starts to trail kisses down my neck to my chest, making his way slowly to my bra. He sits up and cups my covered breasts in his hands, squeezing lightly.

"You're so beautiful, Callie," he moans.

He kisses my lips again before sitting up and reaching underneath me to unclasp my bra. He slowly pulls it off of me and pushes it aside. He pauses to take in the sight of my exposed breasts before he leans down to take one of my nipples into his mouth, sucking and nipping lightly. He massages my other breast as he suckles on the one, making sure to pay them both close attention.

I moan in pleasure, my body writhing beneath him. I can feel that familiar warmth pooling between my legs, my core telling me that it's ready for him. I whimper in anticipation and I can feel him smile around my breast. I can tell he's pleased at the reaction he's getting from me.

After a few minutes of intense pleasure pass, Brandon continues his journey down my exposed body. I tangle my fingers tightly in his hair as he works his way down my stomach, stopping to dip his tongue into my belly button before continuing down to the hem of my jeans.

He slowly unbuttons my jeans and pulls down the zipper, notch by agonizing notch. The anticipation is killing me. I ache to feel him inside me.

"Patience, my love," he says, his voice sounding like liquid sex.

I groan in response and buck my hips against him. He smiles at me and grinds his own hips against me so that I can feel his erection. I'm glad I'm not the only one suffering in pleasure.

I sit up a little so that I can unbutton Brandon's pants as well. He stands up and slides them off seductively. The man really knows how to tease a woman.

After sliding out of his jeans, Brandon climbs back onto the bed and eases my own jeans down my legs. He tosses them onto the floor and slides himself closer to the edge of the bed.

He runs his hand under the elastic band of my panties, teasing me. He looks up at me, eyes glazing over with lust and fiery passion.

"Please," I beg.

He obliges, sliding my panties down and running a finger over my wet centre. He rubs his finger over my mound before slowly slipping it inside of me. I moan softly, trying to keep quiet, knowing Lena and Stef are downstairs.

Brandon slides his finger in and out slowly, causing me to writhe in agony. I need more.

"Brandon," I say breathlessly.

He adds another finger, knowing what I was trying to say without me having to say it.

Soon even this isn't enough. His fingers are not enough. I need him.

"Please, Brandon. I'm ready."

Brandon reaches over to the nightstand and pulls out a condom wrapped in colourful foil. He tears it open and slowly slides it onto himself. I notice that he's a little shaky. This seems a little odd to me considering he and Talya had supposedly been having sex for months.

I can't help but cringe a little at the thought. Thankfully Brandon is too distracted to notice.

"This… This is my first time," he blurts out nervously, looking away momentarily.

When he looks back at me again, I smile.

I reach my hand up to touch his face as I say, "It's mine too."

Brandon leans down and kisses me.

"Are you sure about this?" Brandon asks as he positions himself between my legs.

I nod and try to relax my muscles as he slowly eases into me.

He takes his time, easing in inch by inch, trying his best not to hurt me. I try not to let the pain I'm feeling show. It's not Brandon's fault and I don't want him to feel bad and stop. I don't want to risk him changing his mind.

Gradually the pain starts to subside and turn into pleasure. By the time he is fully sheathed inside of me, my body has adjusted to the intrusion. He lets out a strangled moan and tosses his head back in bliss. I wrap my legs around him, pulling him down close to me.

He remains still for a few seconds, allowing me time to adjust before he slowly starts pulling out and easing back in, creating a steady rhythm. He gradually increases the tempo, the pleasurable friction causing me to buck my hips in time with his thrusts.

Our sweaty bodies writhe against each other and I can feel my climax growing closer. We are both letting out muffled moans of ecstasy. I don't know how much longer I can hold on.

"I'm close," I say breathlessly, tensing around his member as I speak.

Not long after I feel the waves of my orgasm overtaking me. My core tenses around him as my body begins to shake and my vision goes white. I feel him release shortly after.

The minutes that follow go by in a foggy haze. I feel him pull out and hear him toss the spent condom into the trash. I feel him lay down beside me and pull me into his arms. After that we both fall asleep, wrapped comfortably in each other's arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: This chapter doesn't contain much Brallie, or any really, but this is something I felt needed to be done. It's not the best chapter, but I wanted to incorporate Lena and Stef's side of things, how they react to the current situation. The story is still Brallie, but with a few highlights from secondary characters. Hopefully it's not too boring to read. **

**Oh and before anyone asks, I made a minor change to the sleeping arrangements. Jude has his own room. There's not really much of a reason for it, other than the fact that he goes to bed earlier than everyone else. It's just a minor change I decided to make. It's not something that will really come up beyond this chapter, but I thought I would make mention of it before anyone got confused.**

**Chapter 4:**

**Lena's POV:**

"Do you hear that?" Stef asked in a hushed tone, concentrating on the faint noise coming from upstairs.

"Hear what?" I asked confused, not hearing anything out of the ordinary.

"Shh, not so loud," She scolded. "I'm trying to figure out what it is… You don't hear that creaking noise. Or maybe it's more of a squeak…"

I paused to listen once again. I thought I could faintly hear what Stef was talking about. It's a good thing she's the cop and not me because I would have never heard anything had she not pointed it out.

"It sounds like it's coming from Brandon's room," Stef said, pondering aloud.

Just then a light bulb clicked on in my head. Squeaking noises coming from their teenage son's bedroom when only he and their recent addition to the family, a teenage girl, were the only ones upstairs.

"That's not…. It couldn't be… He wouldn't do that. Would he?"

I didn't realize I was talking out loud until I saw Stef giving me a strange look.

"What do you think it is, love?" Stef asked warily.

"Well this might sound silly, but I think Brandon and Callie might be having sex," I explained, unable to suppress the giggle that was threatening to come out.

Stef looked at me with that stern cop look she reserved for when she was really annoyed with something someone has said or the way someone is behaving. I had it on pretty good authority that I was getting this glare both because of what I had just said and because of the way I reacted to what I said, in other words, my giggling. Not the most appropriate thing to do after speculating that your son and temporary foster daughter are sleeping together. Especially not with his mother, the police officer, present. Lena would have to remember this in the future, although she hoped she would never be in this exact situation again.

"Stef, sweety, relax. We don't know for sure that that's what it is," I said soothingly, stepping forward to wrap my arms around her shoulders, hugging her from behind.

"But what if it is, Lena? Then what?" Stef asked quietly, voice barely audible.

"Then we take things one step at a time. First we have to find out if that's really what's going on. If it is, we will figure out where to go from there. There's no sense getting all worked up before we even know if we're right. After all, it could just be a squeaky floorboard," I replied, kissing Stef's cheek reassuringly.

Stef raised her hands and placed them over mine, turning her head to kiss me softly.

"What would I do without you?" she asked with a smile, turning around to face me so we could kiss properly.

"Storm upstairs with your gun out and ready," I joked.

We both laughed and stood there quietly holding each other, letting time pass us by for a little while.

The house remained silent for the next few hours. The only noise coming when Jude went upstairs to start getting ready for bed and again when Jesus and Mariana got home and headed up to their rooms.

It was only 8:30. The house was never usually this quiet. It was making Stef and I a little wary. We had expected to hear Callie coming out of Brandon's room or someone making a commotion upstairs over some sort of adolescent drama, but nothing. No fighting, no raised voices, no sign of any activity at all.

"You'd think the lack of noise would be calming, but it's really not," I said offhandedly.

Stef, who was holding me as we were curled up on the couch, gave an mhmm as way of agreement.

"Well, since it doesn't look like anyone will be needing us tonight, should we go say our goodnights and get ready for bed?" I asked, keeping my tone light and flirty.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, love," Stef replied, kissing the top of my head before reluctantly letting me go and untangling our limbs from one another.

We eased off of the couch slowly, stretching as we stood up, stiff from spending so long curled up on the couch. After some brief stretching, we headed upstairs to say goodnight to the kids.

We said goodnight to Jude first, tucking him in and each giving him a peck on the cheek. His stay here may just be temporary, but it's important that we make him feel loved. Jude and Callie will always hold a special place in our hearts. Even if they're only passing through, they're still a part of this family.

Next on the list was Jesus, who was laying in bed listening to music. He hadn't heard us knock, so we let ourselves in, Stef going up to him and pulling off his headphones so that he could hear us.

"Hey, what was that for?" Jesus asked in annoyance, looking up to see who had removed his headphones.

Rather than responding, Stef fixed him with an unimpressed look. He looked down and mumbled his apology. I smiled from my spot at the door. Stef and I are such opposites that sometimes I just can't help but laugh at the difference in our parenting styles.

We said goodnight to Jesus and headed across the hall to Mariana and Callie's room. So far, so good. Not that I had been expecting any different yet. It wasn't Jude or Jesus that I was worried about. It was who might be in Brandon's room and who might be missing from Mariana's that was concerning me.

When we walked into Mariana's room we found that she was alone, as I had expected. Stef asked where Callie was and Mariana said she didn't know. Stef had not been convinced that Mariana was telling the truth, so I had to step in and reason with her.

Mariana and Jesus had only been home for twenty minutes or so, there's no way she would know that Callie was in Brandon's room unless she had heard them or went into his room herself, which I could not see happening.

I convinced Stef that Mariana was not in on this and we said our goodnights to her then exited her room, getting ready to say goodnight to Brandon. I was not looking forward to this. I had a pretty good feeling I knew what we were going to find on the other side of this door.

I didn't have a problem with Brandon and Callie having a relationship per se, but I did not want them having sex under our roof. I wasn't like Stef when it came to sex. I did not want my teenage children being sexually active. I work at a high school for crying out loud. I see what happens to these young kids. Sex can wait until they're older and better prepared.

It isn't me they have to be worried about however. It's Stef. I'm a lot more lenient when it comes to certain rules, but Stef is a cop, she makes her living playing by the rules. She knows that foster children and the children in the foster home are not meant to be together and she has made her opinions on that quite clear to Brandon. She expects that rule to be followed to the tee.

I on the other hand think it's a somewhat ridiculous rule. I'm not saying that I cannot see where they are coming from, but I think they're being unrealistic. Callie and Brandon are not related in any way and her stay here is only temporary. She is not our adopted child. She and Brandon are not siblings, so there is no reason why they shouldn't be allowed to date and explore these feelings they so clearly have for each other.

I'm not blind and I'm certainly not oblivious to the sexual tension between the two of them. As far as I'm concerned, what they're doing is healthy. I could live without the sex part, but other than that I see no cause for concern. I just wish Stef could see things from my point of view. But I know that's never going to happen. Instead, there is bound to be an outrageous argument and some sort of punishment when she steps into Brandon's room and sees him with Callie.

**AN: I know it's pretty short, but I thought this was a good place to stop. The next chapter will be back in Callie's POV. Any predictions on what might happen when they walk into his room?**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I should have probably held out a little longer on posting again, but I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I wanted to put it up. Besides, I'm a few chapters ahead for once. This chapter is shorter than I had anticipated because I decided to break things up into a few parts. Next is going to be the talk between Lena and Stef, then maybe we'll see what happens when Brandon finds Callie. Thank you to everyone who's been reading this. If you have a few minutes after you're done reading I would really love to hear what you think.**

**Chapter 5:**

**Callie's POV**

I feel myself starting to wake up. I can hear voices coming from one of the other rooms upstairs. I can swear I hear Mariana's voice, but that doesn't make sense. We share a room, so who's room is she in, in the middle of the night?

As I start to pull my brain out of its groggy sleep-addled state, I realize there is a warm weight wrapped around my waist. What is that? If I didn't know better I'd swear it was an arm. No, it can't be an arm. Who's arm would I have wrapped around me?

Images of this evening came flooding back to me. Brandon and I sitting at the piano. His beautiful song and those long skillful fingers. His lips on mine. Him on top of me. Our naked bodies writhing together. The smell of sex filling the room. My mind clouding over in a passion-infused haze.

Oh god it really is an arm! And not just any arm. Brandon's arm is wrapped around me. He's the warm chiseled person snuggled up behind me. He's that intoxicating smell, a mix of mint and spice. A scent unique to Brandon. I inhale deeply and press back into him, enjoying the moment.

I open my eyes in shock, my fear overriding my desire to stay in bed with Brandon like this forever. I look around the room, taking in my surroundings. This isn't my room. Oh no. This isn't good. I'm in _his_ room. I'm in Brandon's room and Lena and Stef are out in the hall headed this way!

I jump out of bed, spurred on by a sudden burst of fear-induced adrenaline. I need to hide and I need to do it quickly. But where? Under the bed? No, too low to the ground. I'd never be able to squeeze under there in time. Behind the door? No, they might hit me or close the door behind them and see me anyways. That won't work either. Where else is there?

I start to panic from my frantic search for a hiding spot. That's when I spot Brandon's closet. His closet is definitely big enough for me to fit inside of. I can curl up at the bottom. I know this because I had to help him pick an outfit to wear on one of his dates with Talya. I bristle at the memory.

Now is not the time to be dwelling on Brandon's past with Talya. Besides, it was just that, the past. She was history. Dumped like yesterday's trash. I smile briefly at the comparison. It's really quite fitting.

I scurry over to the closet and huddle my way inside. I close the door quietly just as I hear a knock on the door. I wedge myself at the bottom of the cramped closet, letting his clothes envelop me. The door opens and Lena and Stef enter. Or at least I assume it's them. I don't know for sure because I can't actually see who it is and no one has said anything yet.

I hear Lena gasp. I wrack my brain trying to figure out what she could be gasping about and that's when it hits me like a brick through a window. My clothes. I forgot to grab my clothes. How did I not realize I was stark naked? Fear and exhaustion are clearly not a good combination for my frail brain. I need to start drinking more coffee if I'm going to be sneaking around like this.

I sit quietly in the closet, praying to a God that I don't believe in that Brandon can think of an excuse to explain why my clothes are strewn across his bedroom floor. I drop my head into my hands knowing how unlikely of a possibility that is. I mean what excuse is there that could explain that? 'Oh don't worry moms, Callie was just changing in here earlier.' Or 'I told Callie to leave her clothes in here so I could do her laundry for her later. A sort of welcome to the new house gesture.' Yeah there was no way out of this mess. I sigh internally and wait for World War III to break out.

The room remains silent for a few agonizing seconds. I'm starting to think this silence is worse than the fight will be. There's so much tension in the air. The pressure is suffocating. I feel my breathing start to accelerate and the closet feels like it's getting smaller. Oh no, I think I'm hyperventilating. This is so not the time. I can't pass out in Brandon's closet while his moms are standing out there waiting to yell at us for being two inappropriately horny teenagers.

I know that I'm supposed to be thinking calming thoughts, but I can't help the increasing panic I'm feeling. Where's a brown bag when you need one?

I'm going to be kicked out of another home. I know it's going to happen and I'm terrified. This is the best foster home Jude and I have ever been in.

Oh no. Jude, poor sweet Jude. How could I be so selfish? I'm going to get him kicked out of this house because of my own stupidity. I'm a horrible sister. How could I do this to him? I'm all he has.

All of these horrible thoughts and scenarios are flooding my mind. Then suddenly it all stops. The world goes black. I can no longer see anything, feel anything. I can't hear anything or smell anything. I have no idea what is going on around me. The world goes blank as I lay there passed out in Brandon's closet, the panic leaving my body, replaced with emptiness.

**Brandon's POV**

I wake up with a start when I hear someone clearing their throat theatrically. I rub the sleep out of my eyes and open them to find my moms staring down at me. Mom, my real mom, Stef, is holding up Callie's bra. I grab my pillow from underneath my head and pull it over my face. This is not going to be good. I groan aloud, which is probably one of the worst things I could have done right now. I know all it's going to do is piss my mom off even more, if that's humanly possible. I kind of doubt it is judging from the look she had on her face.

Suddenly the pillow is ripped from my face, all of my confidence going away with it. I open my eyes and risk a hesitant glance at my moms. Oh God, she's pissed. Lena doesn't look impressed, but she's not livid like my mother. I put my hands over my head and cringe. I'm in for a nightmare.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, young man?!" Stef shouts, waving Callie's lacy bra around for emphasis. "Sleeping with your foster sister, are you kidding me, Brandon? You know better! What the hell were you thinking?"

This was worse than I thought. Not only did my mom not usually raise her voice, but she was also using profanity. Well hell isn't much in the way of profanity, but for my mother that was a lot like dropping the f bomb. Oh man is she ever pissed. Pissing off a cop is probably not the best thing I've ever done, but at least it's my mom. She won't kill me. She'll just make my life a living hell. Great. So much better.

"Stef, calm down, honey. Give him a chance to explain. We don't know what happened. This could be just one big misunderstanding," Lena says, brushing her hand against my mother's arm in an attempt to calm her.

It didn't work. All it did was turn my mother's wrath onto her. I let my head sink in defeat. I feel bad for letting Lena stick her neck out for me like that. I feel even worse for letting her hang out to dry, but really, what could I do? Saying anything would only make the situation that much worse. I hold my tongue and keep my nose out of their business.

"What else could it be Lena? Don't be so naïve," Stef all but yelled at her significant other.

"I know, I know, but it's not so bad. Don't look at me like that, Stef. There are worse things that he could have done and you and I both know it," Lena said, talking like I wasn't actually in the room with them.

"We should go discuss this in private," she continued. "Give everyone a chance to cool off. Come on, let's go talk. You can yell at me if you have to, just get it out of your system before we come back in and talk to them, okay?"

I sit there in silence, watching my mom cool my other mom down. I am in awe of Lena right now. I had never seen my dad be able to successfully calm my mother down in all of their years of marriage and here Lena was doing it like it was second nature to her. People could learn a thing or two from her.

After a long duration of tense silence, my mom relents and agrees to go talk with Lena in private.

I heave a huge sigh of relief when they both leave my room finally. At least that was over for now.

The sense of relief I was feeling wore of quickly when I realized I had no idea where Callie was. I have to find her and make sure everything is okay. She must be freaking out right now.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I actually debated adding some Stef/Lena smut to this chapter, but decided against it. This is a Brallie story after all ;)**

**Chapter 6:**

**Stef's POV**

I had to physically bite back the string of profanity that threatened to leave my mouth. I have never been so angry in my entire life. What's worse is how calm and collected Lena is being about it all. Here I am seething as we head to our room to discuss what just happened while she is walking calmly beside me like nothing is wrong. How can she be so okay with this? If it's possible, I manage to get even more infuriated.

I feel as though I am the only one who understands how serious this situation is. Not only is it against the rules, and probably punishable by the court, but it happened under our roof. They have been sneaking around under our noses. How long has this been going on? Were they ever going to tell us.

I mentally slap myself for not going up there earlier when I heard them having sex. I should have known better than to leave it alone. I knew something was going on. I'm a cop, how could I be so oblivious. My own child. I cannot wrap my head around the situation. It's all so surreal.

Brandon is a good kid. He always follows the rules. He does as he is told and stays out of trouble. He gets good grades, works hard on his music, and makes wise decisions. Until now.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined Brandon doing something like this. After everything I have taught him he turns around and does this? Sleeps with his foster sister. How could this have happened? What was Brandon thinking?

I flop down on our bed with a loud groan. I rake my hands down my face. I know I'm overreacting, but I can't help it. This is who I am. I believe in rules and boundaries. I take these things very seriously and I don't know how to react to something like this any other way. I don't understand how Lena does it. I know the only way I'm going to be able to work through this is if I talk it out with her. Let her calm me down so we can come up with a rational plan of action. Thank God for Lena.

I feel the mattress sink slightly as Lena comes to sit next to me. I keep my eyes closed, trying to calm down. I'm ashamed of the way I spoke to her in Brandon's room. I hate raising my voice at her. She didn't deserve the things I said. I'm glad I caught myself before I said anything too bad.

As I sit there stewing in self-loathing, I feel Lena's head come to rest on my shoulder. I rest my head against hers and smile.

"I love you," I say quietly.

"I love you too," she replies, looking up and kissing me deeply.

Leave it to Lena to turn a tense moment into a sweet one. It's things like this that make me fall even further in love with her. I'm lucky to have a woman like her in my life. I couldn't have asked for a better wife, even if we can't legally wed. Like Lena says, we're married in our hearts.

"I'm sorry," I say remorsefully, brushing my thumb across her cheek.

"I know," she says sweetly, pressing her forehead against mine and smiling.

I return her smile and give her another kiss. The drama can wait a little while. Right now I just want to sit here and enjoy the company of my soul mate. Life will still be there tomorrow.

"Can we talk about all of this tomorrow, love?" I ask exhaustedly.

"Of course. Tonight, let's focus on us," Lena replies, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Morning, love," I say as I see Lena open her eyes groggily.

"Mmf, morning," Lena mumbled.

She's so cute when she wakes up. I smile to myself.

"How'd you sleep?" I ask after giving her a few minutes to wake up.

"Mmm, good," she says, sitting up beside me, leaning against the headboard. "Someone used up all of my energy last night."

I chuckle, " I could say the same about you, my dear."

Lena looks at me and grins.

"I made you coffee," I say, gesturing to her nightstand.

She grabs it gratefully and raises it to her nose to sniff. She always inhales the fresh coffee scent before taking her first sip. It's a cute quirk I noticed the morning after our first night together. I smiled at the memory.

"What are you thinking about?" she asks sweetly.

She must have seen the dreamy look on my face.

"Our first night together," I say honestly.

She smiles and agrees, "that was a good night."

"And every night after that," I reply, leaning in to give her a kiss.

We sit there for a while, reminiscing. Eventually though it's time to face reality once again. Thankfully I have calmed down since last night. Making love relieved the tension I had been feeling.

I had woken an hour or so before Lena so I had had time to think everything over rationally. I could now see where Lena had been coming from last night.

"We should talk about last night," I say.

Lena gives me an odd look, so I clarify by saying, "the Brandon and Callie situation."

"Oh, yes," she replies with a nod.

"What do you think we should do?" I ask at a loss for an answer.

"Hmm, well we're going to need to sit down and talk to them for one. See what they have to say about the situation."

"Mhmm," I agree, somewhat reluctantly.

I know she's right, but part of me still doesn't think they should have a say in any of this. I know they're only going to try to convince us that what they are doing is okay. I don't know that I'm ready believe that just yet.

I am starting to see that it isn't the end of the world, but I'm still not okay with it. They should not have snuck around behind our backs for one. And they should not have been having sex under our roof, especially with people home. Jude could have walked in on them. They have to set the example for the youngest member of the family.

"You still don't think they should be together, do you?" Lena asks thoughtfully.

"I don't know what I think anymore," I answer honestly.

"Would it be so bad? I mean, yes we'd have to set boundaries. And there would be no more sex, not under our roof at least. We can't really control what they do when we're not around, but we can control what goes on in our home," Lena explains.

"I guess we could give it a shot. They're not actually related. And I can't deny that there's something between them," I relent.

"Yeah. Besides, they might actually be good for each other."

I can't suppress the snort of laughter that escapes as she says this, but she's probably right.

"What's the worse that could happen," I finally say. "At least she's better than Talya."

Now it's Lena's turn to laugh. "Yes, she's definitely an improvement," Lena agrees.

We sit in silence for a while before either of us speaks again.

"I know now is probably not the best time to be discussing this, but maybe we should talk about making Callie and Jude's stay here permanent," Lena says suddenly. "I'm not just saying that because she and Brandon have something together. I'm saying it because being here is good for them. It's stable and safe."

I don't say anything for a few minutes, considering what Lena has said. She has a point. I don't think Callie and Jude will ever find another home like this one. As much as I had tried not to think about it before, I have to admit that the odds of them finding a permanent home are slim. They would likely just be tossed into another cold foster home for a while until something happened and they were thrown back into the system once again. I couldn't bear to see that happen. Those kids deserve better. We have the room, we just have to make a few sacrifices.

"You're right," I finally reply. "We're good for them. They need a stable home with people who love them. It's not going to be easy, and it's going to make boundaries between Brandon and Callie even more essential, but we can make this work."

Lena smiles at me and says, "yes, we can. It's been great having them around. This family has room for two more."

"Looks like we have a lot to discuss with the kids today," I say lightheartedly.

I'm feeling a lot better than I was last night and it's all thanks to Lena.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: This chapter takes place just after Lena and Stef leave his room. I know it's a little short, but I'm just preparing for the big news. Thank you for all of the great reviews :)**

**Chapter 7:**

**Brandon's POV**

I look around my room frantically, searching for a sign of Callie. I spot her clothes on the ground next to mine. She couldn't have gone very far. She wouldn't go running around the house naked, that would not end well. And I'm sure I would have heard someone scream if she had. There's no way a naked Callie running around the house wouldn't draw attention. I snicker at the brief distraction.

Back to reality… If Callie isn't in another room, where is she and why hasn't she come out yet?

"Callie?" I call in a hushed tone.

There's no response. Now I'm starting to worry. I jump out of bed and reach for my discarded jeans, tugging them on forcefully. I don't bother with my top, seeing no real need for one at the moment. I just don't want to be traipsing around my room naked, looking for a girl, in case someone happens to walk in. That would not make the situation at hand any better. I had to be extra cautious right now. But more importantly, I need to find Callie. The problem is I have no idea where she might be. I assume she's hiding in my room somewhere, but where?

Why hasn't she come out? Is this some sort of game because if it is, I definitely am not enjoying myself.

"Callie this isn't funny, you're really starting to worry me. Please come out now, they're gone, it's safe," I plead.

No such luck. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. When were things with Callie ever easy? I scoff at the thought because as difficult as she can be at times, she is definitely worth the struggle.

Since coaxing her out clearly isn't going to work, I need to try another tactic. Looks like I'm going to have to do this the old fashioned way, search for her myself. But where?

The first place I think to look is under my bed. It's a tight fit and a rather obvious spot, but I would be stupid to overlook it just because it was unoriginal and slightly inconvenient, not that most hiding spots were in fact convenient.

I bend down and peer under my bed. Nothing. Just dust and an old sock. I make a face, making a mental note to dust under there more often, and stand back up. I'm starting to understand the dust bunnies from _The Big Comfy Couch_ a little bit better now, but that's not exactly useful at the moment, or ever.

I look around my room trying to think of another possible hiding spot. Nothing in particular stands out. I have a relatively small room with minimal furnishing, not heavy in hiding spots. Why was this so difficult? Where the hell could she be hiding and why wouldn't she just come out already?

Then all of a sudden I spot my closet. Of course. Why didn't I think of that before. I give myself a mental face palm and head over to the closet, pulling the door open slowly.

I glance around, but I don't notice anything out of the ordinary. That is until I decide to look down. There lying on the floor, unmoving, is Callie.

I feel myself start to panic, a long stream of worst case scenarios playing out in my head. I try to control my breathing as I bend down beside her. I lift her head gently, resting it against my arm. I place my fingers of my free hand against Callie's neck, checking for a heartbeat.

I heave a sigh of relief when I feel her heart beating steadily. The beat is a little slower than it should be, but not a cause for major concern. I have never been so grateful for taking first aid and CPR in my life. Mom always said it would come in handy. Boy was she right.

I cup her cheek with my hand, rubbing my thumb along it. I watch her intently as I murmur to her to wake up. After I see no response I decide to tap her cheek gently, knowing that it's the best way to get a response without being too physical or shouting at her. Thankfully that seems to do the trick. Callie seems to be coming to.

She opens her eyes slowly and squints up at me. I don't say anything, giving her time to adjust. I stroke my fingers through her hair soothingly and wait for her to speak.

"What happened?" she asks groggily.

I sigh and smile down at her, leaning over to press a soft kiss to her lips. I know I shouldn't, but I cannot help myself. I'm just so relieved that she's okay. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to Callie. I close my eyes briefly, banishing the thought. I don't want to think like that, I can't.

"You passed out in my closet," I say gently, trying my best to downplay it so as not to startle her.

She looks at me with quizzical eyes. I brush the hair back from her forehead, telling her everything is going to be okay.

We sit like that for a few minutes, me stroking her hair, Callie laying on my bedroom floor trying to get her bearings.

"We should get you up off of the floor now," I say suddenly, realizing that we are still sitting in my cramped closet.

"Okay," Callie murmurs in response, her eyes drifting closed once again.

I slip my arms beneath her, cradling her in a bridal style carry. I lift her off of the ground slowly and walk her over to my bed. I place her down gently and sit beside her, resuming my position of stroking her hair.

As I sit there watching her sleep peacefully, I feel myself nodding off as well. The next thing I know I'm asleep with Callie cradled in my arms, something a guy could really get used to.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: This chapter was going to be the discussion, but things kind of got away from me and it turned smutty. Oh well, I doubt there will be too many complaints about that ;) Thank you to everyone who is still sticking with me. Since updating on Monday went so well last time, I think I'm going to try to keep my updates to Mondays. Double dose of **_**The Fosters**_**.**

**Chapter 8:**

**Callie's POV**

I wake up in a position that is now becoming all too familiar. I'm laying in Brandon's bed, wrapped up in his arms. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining or anything, I just know that this is not going to last. It's killing me to know that once we walk out this door and back into reality I am going to be shipped off and Brandon and I will never see each other again. My life finally starts going well and I have to go and screw things up.

I feel tears welling up in my eyes, another thing that is now becoming too common for my liking. I hate looking so weak and vulnerable, especially in front of Brandon, but I can't help it. It all just feels so hopeless. I can't hold back my tears any longer.

I try to control my sobs, in an attempt to not wake Brandon. I realize that this tactic has not been working when I feel Brandon's arms squeezing me tighter and him kissing the top of my head. I smile despite my sorrowful mood. Even in the worst of times, Brandon can always make me smile.

"It's going to be okay," I hear him murmur.

He continues to whisper to me soothingly, but I'm too distracted by my internal derailing to hear what he is saying, not that I can believe it anyways. I know things are not going to be okay. How can they be? We broke the rules, and now we're going to be punished for it, forbidden to be together.

He never tells me to stop crying, instead he just holds me and comforts me. I know this must be hard on him as well, but I'm glad he's being strong enough for the both of us. Someone has to, and I'm starting to see that when it comes to Brandon, I can never be strong. He's my weakness.

"We should go downstairs," he says after I've sufficiently cried my aching heart out.

I nod and wriggle my way out of his bed. He gets up out of bed as well and bends down to retrieve my bra and panties which had been discarded on his side of the bed last night in the midst of our love making. I smile at him gratefully, putting them on and looking for the remainder of my clothes, trying not to focus on memories of last night.

I suddenly feel very exposed, naked in front of him for the first time without the distraction of lust clouding our judgment. Now he's really seeing me, imperfections and all. I look up at him hesitantly, trying to get a read on his reaction. I'm terrified that I will see disgust or shame on his face, but I have to know.

What I see is not what I was expecting at all. What I see is a naked, and oh so sexy, Brandon standing there with that heartwarming trademark grin spread across his face.

"You're beautiful," he says as he takes a few steps closer to me, closing the distance between us.

He seals his compliment with a kiss. I kiss back with all that I have, knowing that this might be our last kiss. I press my body against his shamelessly, gripping his hair tightly. He moans in my mouth, grabbing me roughly by the hips and pulling me closer, which I didn't even know was possible. We are pressed stark against each other. I can feel every muscle, every hair, every beat of his heart, as we kiss frantically and writhe against each other.

He backs me up against the wall for support as we continue to kiss and grind our hips together. The friction is making me delirious, my undergarments being the only thing separating my skin from his. Knowing that this is probably the last time we're going to be together has made our movements desperate. The romance is gone, replaced by a desperate passion. I know neither of us will last long, but we need to do this. Need to be with each other one last time.

He tries to unhook my bra, fingers fumbling with the clasp. I reach behind me and place my hands on his, helping him. The hook comes undone and my bra slips to the ground, exposing my breasts to him. He moans my name and places his hands on my breasts, giving them a light squeeze. I feel my arousal heighten as he lowers his head to my chest, laving at my nipples, drawing them to a firm peak. I throw my head back and place a hand over my mouth to muffle the moan I know I will not be able to keep in.

"Oh God… Brandon… Need more," I stammer helplessly.

He looks up at me and smiles, raising his head to capture my lips with his. I feel his hands slide down my back and cup my ass firmly as his tongue explores my mouth frantically. He slips his hands beneath the elastic waistband of my lace panties, which I am eternally grateful to have bought a few days ago. He moves one hand to the front of my panties, feeling my wetness and teasing my womanhood. I buck into the movement, controlled by my hormones.

I can hear myself whimper and feel Brandon's satisfied grin against my mouth as we kiss. That stubborn voice inside of me tries to convince me to slap him, but I ignore it. There's a certain pleasure that comes with knowing he is enjoying his effect on me. Judging from the hardness now pressed against my thigh, I'd say I'm having the same effect on him. Now it's my turn to smile.

I reach my hand down to cup his hardness in my hand, gripping firmly, but not too firmly. I begin a leisurely tug and pull, enjoying the sounds coming from Brandon's mouth, which is pressed into my shoulder to subdue the volume. He nips at my shoulder in between moans. He kisses and licks a steamy trail across my neck, reaching my ear. He sucks in the hypersensitive lobe, knowing it's my weak spot. I whimper quietly.

"Mmm, Callie… I'm… Uh… Gotta stop… Or I'm gonna - " he stammers frantically.

I know what he's going to say without him having to say it, so I squeeze the base of his shaft firmly, constricting the blood flow.

"Uh… Better," I hear him sigh.

I smile and bend down slowly, lowering onto my knees and nudging him to move against the wall for support. As he moves, I position myself in front of him. I slowly reach a hesitant hand out to his cock, never having done this before. I'm hesitant to take him into my mouth, afraid I'm not going to be any good at this. I've read a few helpful articles, but that all flies out of your head when faced with the situation in reality. I don't know what he likes or if I will gag, but I want to try. I want to give him something to remember me by. Something I'm sure Talya never did.

I lower my head to him, licking the head tentatively. I feel him shudder and place his hand to my neck, grabbing my hair. I look up at him and see a look of passionate lust on his face, taking courage from this, I hesitantly take the head into my mouth. He has to use his free hand to stifle a moan. I smile around him, knowing I must be doing something right. I suck on the head momentarily before removing my mouth and licking all the way up his shaft. I take him into my mouth again, this time taking in as much as I can, using my hand to cover the rest. I slowly suck him in and out of my mouth, enjoying the sensation. I hum around his cock, remembering that that is said to enhance the man's pleasure. If his grunting is anything to go by, I'd say it worked.

I continue sucking, occasionally using my hand to fondle his balls. I hear him mumble that he's close and instead of removing him from my mouth, I take him in deeper and hum. That does the trick. I feel his body tense and I feel him release deep in my throat. I swallow quickly as it comes out, trying not to choke. By some stroke of luck, I manage to not gag. He warned me he was close, so it hadn't come as a surprise. I was surprised that it didn't taste as bad as I had anticipated. It tasted salty and a little sweet, not too bad. I could tolerate it.

Once he has gathered his bearings, he tugs me up so that I am standing once again. He pulls me to him and kisses me passionately, not seeming to mind the taste of him inside my mouth.

"Callie, that was… Wow. Words can't even explain how you make me feel. You are amazing," he says breathlessly.

I smile up at him.

"Hopefully this isn't the end," I say quietly.

He must hear me because he pulls me closer to him, hugging me tightly. We stay like that for a while before getting cleaned off, finally getting dressed, and heading downstairs for breakfast.

"I could get used to waking up to this," Brandon says playfully as we walk out of his room hand in hand.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: I know it's short, but I had a really hard time writing this. I wasn't sure how I wanted the conversation to go. I know there could have been a lot more details, but I'm already late with this update so I just wanted to put something out. Sorry for the delay, I was out of town and away from a computer. If anyone has any ideas for what to do next, please let me know. As it stands, I'm not sure what I want to do for my next chapter. Date night maybe? Suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)**

**Chapter 9:**

**Callie's POV**

Breakfast this morning is rather awkward and tense to say the least. I feel self-conscious sitting here eating my cereal, which I usually skip, and sipping my coffee. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I feel like everyone's eyes are on me, like they all know. In reality, I know only Stef, Lena, and of course, Brandon know what is really going on.

Mariana is oblivious to the tension in the room, focusing on her frustrations with Jesus and Lexi instead. She's known about them for a week, but she still seems as pissed off as ever. I'd say I'm getting sick of it, but at least it pulls some of the attention away from Brandon and I.

Jesus is talking to Jude about a new video game. Since when does Jude like video games? Oh well, not important. What is important is that Brandon is staring holes into my head as I hunch over and concentrate on my cereal. I can feel his gaze on me, or rather stare, but I don't want to look up. I can't risk it. The last thing I need is to be caught making googlie eyes at Brandon, or something similar. That is not the best way to deter the attention of the people in the room.

Everyone is finishing up their breakfast and getting ready to leave. It's Sunday, so everyone has plans. Everyone except Lena, Stef, Brandon, and I it seems. I finish up my cereal and coffee, walking over to the sink to rinse my dirty dishes.

As I start to head out of the room, wanting to be out of the suffocating atmosphere, I hear Stef say, "Not so fast, young lady. The four of us need to have a little talk."

It takes everything in my power not to quiver at the sternness of her voice. I know this won't be good. I'm about to be kicked out of the only place I have ever considered home. I sink onto one of the stools and drop my gaze to the countertop in front of me. I can hear Brandon's breathing take on an unsteady rhythm, telling me he's probably as nervous as I am. At least I'm not the only one. That must count for something.

There are several agonizingly long minutes of silence before Stef finally speaks again.

"This is very important, I cannot emphasize that enough, so I need you both to look at me and pay close attention to what I am about to say," she says evenly, waiting for us to look up at her as she requests.

Lena is sitting beside Stef, holding her hand, probably in an attempt to keep her calm. This does nothing to ease my nerves. If Stef needs to be calmed down, this is going to be worse than I thought. How that might be possible, I do not know. I stare at Stef intently, waiting to hear my doom. I assume Brandon does the same, but I don't hazard a glance in his direction. There's no need to anger Stef any more than she already is.

"Your mother and I have given the events of last night some serious thought," she begins, glancing between the two of us, a slight scowl on her face at the mention of last night. "We have decided to let this relationship continue."

Brandon and I both let out shocked gasps and I struggle to stifle a smile.

"Don't go getting to excited," she continues. "There are going to be some rules that you must follow if you wish to continue seeing each other romantically."

I roll my eyes internally at the way Stef chooses to label what's going on between Brandon and I. I knew she wouldn't come out and say anything about sex specifically, but I hadn't been expecting her to put it like that either.

Stef looks to Lena to set the boundaries of the relationship. We sit there quietly, waiting to hear the rules. It doesn't really matter what the rules are, I will follow them regardless. Lena and Stef have put it all on the line to let me stay here and have even decided to let me keep seeing Brandon. There's no way I'm going to push my luck like this again. From now on, I'm going to follow the rules for once. It's time I leave my rebellion behind.

"First, there will be no more sex taking place under our roof. This is our home, all of us, and we expect you both to respect it as such. We know we can't stop you from having sex, although we think you both should hold off on sex, but we can stop you from doing so under our roof."

Lena pauses to let this first rule sink in. We both nod, encouraging her to continue.

"Secondly, when you two go out, we expect to know where you're going and when you'll be back. Along with this rule, comes rule number three, curfew. When you are out together, there is a strict 10 pm curfew. No exceptions. Last but not least, any displays of affection shown around the house must be kept to a PG level. There are other people in the house, one of whom is still a child. Are there any questions?"

I can't help the smirk that crosses my face at the very teacher-esque ending. You can tell Lena used to be a teacher.

"Thank you Stef and Lena," I say with sincere gratitude.

Brandon thanks them as well and they both smile at us.

"There was no denying that there was something special between the two of you. You're good for each other. Stef and I want to give you both a fighting chance," Lena says affectionately.

I start to feel self-conscious again and their continued gazes between Brandon and I. I feel like we're two mates on display at the zoo. It's very unnerving. I'm not one to enjoy being the centre of attention.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, I excuse myself and head upstairs. I heave a sigh of relief as I walk up the stairs. I'm finally free from their scrutiny. For now anyways.

It's not long before Brandon comes knocking on my door, letting himself in before I have time to respond. I should be bothered by this, and if it were anyone else I probably would be, but it's Brandon. I can't complain that Brandon wants to see me.

We sit in my and Mariana's room, talking, touching each other from time to time. We talk about everything and nothing, just enjoying each other's company. I can't remember the last time I felt so comfortable around someone. I wonder if I ever have.

We spend the afternoon together, everyone else has left the house. We end up heading downstairs to watch movies in the living room. We hold hands and sit close to each other, me resting my head on his shoulder. To our surprise, no one comments when they see us sitting like this. I guess everyone saw it coming.

At dinner, Stef and Lena tell us that they have decided to adopt Jude and I. Everyone is thrilled at the news and Brandon even leans over to give me a quick kiss. Today has been a perfect day. Not only did I get to spend it with Brandon, but we're allowed to be together and Jude and I finally have a real family. I have everything I have ever wanted. I could not have asked for more. It's days like these that make me think that there might really be a God out there after all.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: This chapter actually turned out to be longer than I expected, considering I'm terrible with date chapters. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed my last chapter, especially jessy0622. Your ideas were very helpful. As far as the adoption goes, I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that situation. Their relationship is against the rules either way, so I don't know that it makes that big of a difference. I guess I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Hope you like the chapter. I love reading reviews, they drive me to write faster :)**

**Chapter 10:**

**Brandon's POV**

The past few days have been going by rather smoothly, for my family anyways. There haven't been any big arguments or extra drama, nothing out of the ordinary. If anything, things are actually becoming boring around the house. For some reason I find myself craving the drama that so regularly finds its way into our family.

School is passing me by in a blur. When I'm not in class I'm either in the music room, practicing my piano, or spending time with Callie. Don't get me wrong, I love my music and being with Callie, but I need something more. I need some excitement, well I need to get out of the house at least. I'm becoming a home-body.

Since Callie and I haven't been out on an official date yet, I've decided that tonight is the night I'm going to change that. For the past few nights I have been planning the perfect first date. In the past few months that I've known Callie, I've been able to learn quite a bit about her, despite her closed-off personality. Callie lets me in now that she knows I would never do anything to hurt her. She lets me see the real her, the deeper parts of her that no one else gets to see. She has put a lot of trust in me and because of that, I have been able to come up with a date I think she will love.

It's Friday night, so we don't have to worry about an early curfew and school in the morning. Since I talked the date over with moms, who literally swooned at the idea, go figure, I was able to extend our curfew to midnight. It took some convincing, but since they know where we will be and can call us if they want to check up on us, they agreed to the later curfew. I know this won't happen every time Callie and I go out, so I plan to be responsible while still making the most of it.

By the time we're both ready and heading out the door, it's quarter after seven and the sun is beginning to set. As we're walking towards our secret destination, Callie grabs my hand and walks closely beside me, talking softly about her day. I smile warmly down at her, feeling the warmth spread through my chest. Being with Callie always lifts my spirits. Our close proximity is helping to calm my anxiety about the date. The closer we get to the beach, the more nervous I am that Callie will not like it or the rest of the date I have planned.

I want this to be a special night for her, the dream date she deserves, but I'm afraid I'm going to do something to mess this up for her. I have a way of messing things up when it comes to the women I like. I don't know why, but I do know that it hasn't really happened with Callie yet. I hope she breaks the pattern.

"We're almost there," I tell her softly as we approach the sandy beach. Since I planned ahead, I was able to put together some romantic picnic supplies, which I hid behind a bush along the lifeguard stand this afternoon. It's not a fool-proof plan, but it's better than giving the surprise away by carrying a picnic basket.

Callie smiles up at me asking, "Brandon, are you taking me to the beach?"

I return her smile and fake zipping my lips, letting her know that she will have to wait and see. Callie shakes her head and focuses back on the ground in front of her.

A few minutes later we've arrived at the beach and I'm leading Callie over to the lifeguard stand so I can retrieve the picnic basket. Callie gives me a questioning look, but says nothing. I just smile at her and continue on, letting her guess at what I have planned. When I pull out the basket, Callie's eyes light up and her mouth drops open slightly, something I probably wouldn't have caught had I not been staring at her to see her reaction. A grin spreads across her face and she leans in to kiss my cheek. I can feel my face heat up from the attention. I feel vulnerable, not used to planning such cliché dates, but Callie seems to genuinely like the idea of a picnic on the beach at sunset.

"Brandon Foster, I knew you were a romantic, but I had no idea…" she trailed off, voice giving away her astonishment.

"I wanted tonight to be a night you'll remember," I say honestly as I take her hand and guide her towards the shoreline.

When we reach a relatively even patch of sand I set the basket down and get to work setting things up. Callie walks towards the water as I set up, kicking her shoes off along the way.

When I look up from laying down the blanket, setting out the plates, utensils, and food, and lighting the candles I brought, yes, I brought candles, I see Callie standing in the water, kicking her feet around gently. I slip my sneakers off and head towards her, a smile on my face.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I ask as I come up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"I've never seen anything quite like it," she admits, turning her head slightly too look at me.

I take the opportunity to kiss her gently. I keep it short, knowing that this is actually our first date. I'm trying to keep things on a first date level, wanting to make this a genuine experience for Callie.

After the quick stolen kiss, I take Callie's hand and lead her back to the picnic. Callie draws herself closer to me and squeezes my hand as we get closer.

"Aww, Brandon, this is so sweet," she says as we sit down side by side on the stereotypical checkered blanket.

"It's not too much?" I ask nervously, trying to maintain control of my voice.

"It's perfect," she replies, leaning in to give my cheek another quick peck.

I pull out a tall glass bottle from the basket and tilt it in Callie's direction. "Glass of sparkling water, my lady," I ask in a cheesy voice.

Callie giggles and nods her head, picking up her glass and holding it out for me to fill. I fill both of our glasses and set the bottle aside, reaching back into the basket to pull out our food.

Picking out the food had proved to be the hardest part. Callie wasn't a picky eater per-say, but she didn't really eat much. I'm not sure if it's because she doesn't really like the food my mom makes or if she just doesn't eat much, but it made me a little hesitant about what to bring. I finally settled on potato salad, traditional picnic food, can't go wrong with that, chicken, which Callie always eats all of, and fresh bread from the bakery I know she likes.

When I've pulled out all of the food I see Callie smiling shyly.

"What?" I ask playfully.

"You must have put a lot of thought into this… I mean most people have no idea what I like, but you packed all of my favourite things."

I smile at her, knowing my smile is reaching my eyes, something that happens with Callie more than anyone else.

"I pay attention," I reply with a wink.

Callie laughs and sets to work grabbing food and placing it onto her paper plate. I do the same, waiting until she finishes with a container before grabbing it and taking some for myself. I cut up a few slices of bread and hand her one, taking one for myself after she grabs hers.

We eat quietly, exchanging a few words about the meal and our day. Callie tries to pry more details about the date out of me, but I stay firm. I'm determined to keep her guessing. I know she would never admit it, but I can tell Callie likes surprises.

**Callie's POV**

After we finish eating, Brandon leads us back to the water. I follow his lead, my mind still in a bit of a daze from the shock of how much thought he put into tonight. No guy has ever put this much effort into a date with me. Most guys just take me out to a party and try to get me drunk in the hopes of getting laid.

Brandon isn't like that, and that's what I love about him. He's not after me for sex. He actually wants to be with me. He was even willing to risk his relationship with his moms just to be with me. I've never had anyone care about me the way that Brandon does. He makes me feel special. To him I'm not just some broken drifter passing through his life, only good for a quick bang. For once in my life, I finally feel like I matter.

When we reach the water Brandon turns to me and says, "Care for a swim?"

I smile and nod. Brandon slides his t-shirt off, tossing it onto the sand away from the water. I do the same, feeling a little self-conscious, which I know is silly because he's already seen me naked. It's different now, probably because we're on our first actual date. Brandon slips off his jeans, adding them to the pile of clothes, and dives into the water, leaving his underwear on and giving me some privacy. I smile and shake my head at the gentlemanly act.

Once I've taken off my favourite pair of worn-in jeans, I dive into the water, swimming after Brandon. When I reach him he smiles and slowly swims further into the water, swimming backwards so he's still facing me. I splash him and follow, picking up speed as I go.

Our leisurely swim quickly turns into a race with me taking the lead. It doesn't take long for Brandon to catch up. We swim until we're both out of breath, deciding to call it a tie.

As the sky grows darker and the moon starts to rise, I lay back, floating on my back, to gaze up at the nearly full orb. It's not quite a full moon, but it's beautiful all the same. I feel the water swish around me as Brandon comes closer. I turn my head to the side to look at him. He's next to me, floating on his back as well. He turns his head and smiles at me. I smile back before turning my attention back to the night sky.

After a few minutes of quiet observation we decide to make our way back to the shore. We slowly swim back, splashing each other every now and then. When we get back Brandon heads to the basket and pulls out two towels. He makes his way back to me, towels in tow.

"You really did plan this out to the last detail," I say playfully as he hands me one of the towels.

He gives me his patented Brandon smirk and starts to dry himself off. When we're both dry we grab our clothes and get dressed. Once we're clothed we make our way back to the picnic blanket and lay down side by side, admiring the sky once again.

As Brandon points out constellations, I reach for his free hand. We spend the rest of our evening like this. When we get home, Brandon gives me a good night kiss and we go our separate ways, keeping the evening as a proper first date. Brandon definitely succeeded, I will never forget tonight.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

**Callie's POV**

I yawn and stretch as I head downstairs for breakfast. It's Saturday morning, so Stef is the one cooking. Since Saturdays are the only days Stef almost always has off, she always cooks breakfast for the family. The family often spends the day together, although that tradition has been happening less and less over the past few weeks as we've all been getting busier with our personal lives.

I'm not expecting the scene before me when I walk into the kitchen. The kitchen, along with everyone in it, is covered in batter. The creamy mixture is dripping from the countertops, smearing onto the floor. Mariana has patches of it in her hair and Jesus is laughing as he points it out to her. Mariana shrieks and runs out of the room, heading upstairs to wash her hair. I can't help but laugh at the scene. The kitchen is usually spotless. I wouldn't have pegged Lena and Stef as the type of parents to go along with a food fight.

I hesitate at the doorway, not wanting to get coated in batter like everyone else. I'm not a girly-girl by anyone's standards, but that doesn't mean I feel like being covered in breakfast food right after a shower. Brandon smirks at me as he reaches down and scrapes up some of the batter from the counter. I quickly bring my hands up to protect my face from the attack. This does little to help me as Jude and Jesus join in on the assault.

By the time I make my way into the kitchen and start returning the favour, we're all laughing hysterically. After a few minutes I decide it's time to put a stop to this, Lena and Stef having already started cleaning up the mess. I grab the half empty bowl of batter and dump the goopy contents onto Brandon's head, getting him back for starting all of this chaos.

Now that the fun and games are over we all pitch in and help the moms clean up the messy kitchen. Mariana makes her way back down a few minutes later, pitching in on our rescue effort. It doesn't take long to clean up the mess with all of these hands.

After the catastrophe is cleaned up Brandon asks me what I want to do today. Even after living here for a few months, I still don't know the town well, so I ask him if he'd be willing to show me around. He agrees, saying he'll take me to see some of his favourite spots. I'm excited to see where Brandon grew up. Unlike me, he has fond memories of his childhood, so it will be nice getting to see that part of him.

We spend the day driving around stopping at various places around town, a local art museum, a park, the cathedral Stef and he used to be a part of, and the music hall he

has played countless recitals at.

By the time we're done touring all of the places Brandon wanted to take me, the sun is already setting and the sky is getting dark. Instead of heading home for dinner, Brandon calls Stef and asks if it's okay if we stay out. Stef agrees so Brandon decides he's going to take me to his favourite childhood restaurant, which happens to be a quaint little dinner on the outskirts of town. I smile as we pull up to the diner, _Mary's Family Feast_, because for some reason this place really suits him.

Brandon may be well off, but he isn't some entitled rich kid. He's a down to earth guy who cares about more than how much money something is worth. This small diner, with its run down appearance and friendly family atmosphere, is somewhere I can see Brandon spending many hours of his childhood.

We slip into a booth by the window, sitting on opposite sides. We're there for maybe thirty seconds before a friendly middle aged waitress comes over, greeting us with a broad, genuine smile.

"Brandon, it's so nice to see you again. We haven't seen you around in years. You've grown into such a handsome young man," the woman says sweetly as she places our menus in front of us. She turns her attention over to me and asks, "and who is the lovely lady?"

I blush at the complement. "Hi, I'm Callie, Brandon's uh… Lena and Stef took me and my brother in a few months ago," I say, unsure of whether or not to tell her we're a couple.

"Callie's my girlfriend," Brandon adds easily.

I smile at him gratefully as the waitress turns her attention back to him.

"Aww honey I'm happy for you. I remember when your mom first took Lena here, they looked as happy as the two of you look tonight. It must run in the family. So, what can I get you two lovebirds to drink?"

We both order Pepsi and the waitress, Judy, leaves to go get them. She returns a few minutes later, placing our drinks and saying she'll be back in a few minutes to take our orders.

After we order our food, Brandon starts telling me stories about the diner while we wait. He tells me about his first time here, coming here every Sunday with his mom, the birthday party Mary threw for him one year. I notice his eyes light up as he remembers these moments. I can tell this place holds a special place in his heart and I'm glad he decided to share it with me.

I tell Brandon some of the happier memories of my childhood as we eat our burgers. After we finish, Judy comes by and drops off two shakes, on the house. By the end of the evening I can see why this place is so popular. It has charm that is so rare to find anywhere anymore. I hope to come back with Brandon some day.

We're driving home when it happens, the moment that will change our lives forever. All I remember seeing is a bright light and hearing the blaring of a horn before it all goes blank. I catch snippets of reality as I pass out. I can feel a few lucid moments of searing pain in between the blackouts. I can hear Brandon's voice in the distance, but I can't make out what he's saying. He's too far away. The pain starts to melt away and everything feels like a dream. I can feel myself slipping away from reality.

**Brandon's POV**

I pull out my phone, trying to fight back the panic coming on. I didn't see the truck until it was too late and he was headed right for us. I tried to swerve, but the driver of the truck must have been drunk because he made no effort to slow down, crashing right into the car on Callie's side. We were at the intersection. I had the right of way. None of this should have happened, but it did and I'm terrified that Callie might not make it. I can't lose her.

I swipe a shaky finger across the screen, unlocking my phone. I tap the phone icon and dial 911, holding the phone up to my ear. I try to steady my breath as the phone rings. Finally someone picks up and I stammer out an explanation of what happened, where we are, and begging them to send an ambulance for Callie before it's too late.

A few minutes later the dispatcher hangs up, promising that help will be on the way soon. Having a sudden moment of clarity, albeit frenzied, I pull my shirt of and rip it into strips. Callie is losing a lot of blood and it's the only thing I can think of to try and stop it. I uses some of the strips to wrap around her arms where I see gashes. I tie them tightly, hoping to stop the bleeding. I use what's left of my shirt to press against her forehead where it was badly cut. She must have hit her head against the dash or something during the impact.

"Callie… Callie can you hear me?" I ask desperately, hoping for some sort of response. I get nothing. Callie just lays there, unmoving and unresponsive. Thankfully she still has a pulse, although it's very weak, which I'm sure is cause for concern. At least she's still alive. Right now that's all that matters.

Time passes by in a haze as I wait for the ambulance to arrive. I heave a sigh of relief as I hear sirens in the distance, getting louder as the seconds tick by. Within minutes the paramedics are here rushing over to take care of Callie. One of them tries to tend to me, but I push him away, telling him to take care of Callie first. The impact was on her side, so other than a few scrapes and bruises, I seem to be fine. Callie is the one who they need to look after right now.

The paramedics quickly appraise the situation and rush Callie into the ambulance, allowing me to come with her. As we rush to the hospital, the paramedic sitting in the back of the ambulance looking after us tries to stabilize Callie, but it doesn't seem to be working. By the time we get to the hospital her pulse is still week and she still hasn't responded to anything, including the electric paddles.

Callie is rushed into the ER right away and I am left waiting after her, blocked off at the door. I've never felt so helpless. All I can do is wait and hope that Callie is okay.

I don't know how long I sit there with my head in my hands, praying that Callie make it through this. Suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder, I look up hoping it's the doctor with news on Callie. Looking up I see my mom. She pulls me into a tight hug. I can feel her shake as she starts to cry.

"Oh Brandon, I'm so glad you're okay. When I got the call… my heart sank… Everything's going to be okay, love."

I look over my mom's shoulder as she rambles semi-incoherently. I see the whole family huddled behind her, Lena, Mariana, Jesus, and Jude. Everyone is here. They all have worried looks on their faces as they come over and join in the hug. We all stand there embracing each other for several minutes, too afraid to let go.

We all pull apart and look up at the sound of a man clearing his throat. "Are either of you Mrs. Foster?" he asks evenly.

"Yes, Callie's our daughter," Lena replies quickly.

"Is she okay?" I ask shakily, my voice cracking.

"She's in critical condition right now. I can't allow any of you in to see her yet, but if you'll come with me I will take you all to the ICU waiting room."

We follow the doctor through the hall and upstairs where we are brought to another bare room, with chairs along the walls and in the centre. The doctor promises to come back as soon as he has more information on Callie, leaving us to wait in worry.

Moms offer to get me something to eat or drink, but I refuse. I can't think about anything other than Callie. I'm too worried to eat. I sit there in silence, staring at the door. I don't pay any attention to what's going on around me, all that matter is Callie and someone walking through the door to tell me what's going on. The waiting in silence is killing me. We have been here for hours and I'm getting more and more panicked as time slips by. It can't be good that it's taking this long.

I try to keep positive, reasoning that at least this means she's still alive, but that's little consolation. For all I know Callie is laying in there somewhere dying. Just went I think I'm going to lose my mind, the door opens and the doctor walks in.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: I am so sorry for the insanely long wait. I had the worse case of writer's block, still do. I know it's short and not nearly as good as my other chapters, but I wanted to get something out. Hopefully things start flowing for me with this story again. Thank you everyone who bore with me through this long wait, especially on a cliffhanger.**

**Chapter 12**

**Brandon's POV**

We all stand up at the same time, focusing all of our attention on the doctor who is walking impossibly slow. Those few seconds it takes for him to cross the maybe fifteen feet of distance between us is pure agony. I can feel my heart racing and my palms are getting sweaty. I need to know what's going on. I need to know if Callie is going to be okay.

The doctor finally closes the distance between us, glancing between Lena and my mom as he says, "I'm Doctor Collins, are either of you Callie's mother?"

Lena is the first to speak. "Yes, we're her mothers," she says, grabbing mom's hand. "Is she going to be okay?"

When the doctor doesn't answer I start to fidget, my heart sinking to my stomach. He's not answering. That can't be a good sign. I feel myself start to panic before I even know what's really going on. I dig my nails into my palms and try to calm myself down, fighting to control my breathing.

Doctor Collins looks at me with concern, reaching a hand out to touch my forearm as he asks, "Are you okay, son? Maybe you should sit down."

I shake my head numbly in reply before I'm able to form the words that taste so volatile on my tongue, "Is Callie going to make it?"

He must have sensed the urgency we were all feeling because he didn't prolong his reply any further than he already had.

"She's in critical condition, but she's stable." I let out a sigh of relief as he continued, "We'll have to keep her here for a few days for monitoring, due to the severity of her injuries, but she's a fighter."

I swiped at my eyes as I felt the tears start to fall. I couldn't hold them back any longer. I was too relieved to care what anyone thought, besides it's not like I'm the first person to ever cry in a hospital. Mom wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tight, tears streaming down her face as well. Jesus and Mariana practically tackled Lena in joy.

The air in the room had become less suffocating now that it was filled with relief. Callie was going to be okay. We were going to be okay.

* * *

Doctor Collins talked to us for another half hour or so, explaining Callie's situation in greater detail. I was too focused on wanting to see Callie to pay much attention to what he was saying. All I could think about was holding her in my arms, telling her that everything was going to be okay.

After he had gone through everything he needed to say, he told us we could go in to see her one at a time, but not for too long because she needed her rest. He also said not to wake her if she was asleep.

Before I could even ask to be the first one in, Lena turned to me and said, "Honey, I think you should go in first. Callie will want to see you."

I gave her a quick hug before heading beyond those once imposing doors before they had a chance to change their mind.

I stood outside the door to her room for at least a minute, building up the courage to go in. I couldn't help but worry that she might never forgive me for this. I had been the one driving the car. It was my fault Callie was even in here. I don't know how I would live with myself if she couldn't forgive me for this. I had to find a way to make things right. The only way to do that was to step beyond the threshold of this room.

I opened the door with a shaking hand and stepped inside, closing it firmly behind me. I walked further into the room until I was standing next to her bed. She glanced up at me, a weak smile on her lips, and reached her hand out.

I took her hand in mine and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on the back of it. I felt my eyes stinging with the threat of unshed tears. I took in a big gulp of air, trying to hold them back. Callie patted the spot beside her. That was all the encouragement I needed to sit down beside her.

I sat down and pulled her close to me, kissing the top of her head as she leaned it against my chest.

"I'm so sorry, Callie," I whispered into her hair. "I… I was so scared. I thought I lost you," I choked out as I started to cry.

Callie moved back a little so that she could look me in the eyes. She smiled at me and cupped my cheek before kissing me softly and saying, "It's okay, Brandon. I'm okay. I love you."

I stared at her, a smile spreading across my face, despite the tears. "I love you too."

We sat in silence for the few minutes I had with her, Callie nestled in my arms. When it was time for me to leave, it took all of my willpower to get up off of that bed. I promised her I would come back tomorrow.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Callie's POV**

I lay awake shaking. I feel cold, despite being covered in blankets. I can't seem to shake the images of the crash. They all came flooding back hours ago and they have been playing in a constant horrendous loop ever since. Every time I close my eyes, I see it all happening. It's like I'm there again.

The sights, first of bright lights as the truck comes barreling at us, then flickers of glass, pavement, trees, all leading to total blackness. But it's not only seeing it happen, I can also hear the crunch of metal, smashing of glass, sirens, screaming, everything. I can even smell the blood and feel the pain. It's as if I'm really there. I can't stop reliving my worst nightmare.

My only saving grace is opening my eyes and seeing that none of it is real. I'm safe in a hospital bed, hooked up to beeping machines, and doped up on painkillers. It's not so bad. I just wish the painkillers were blocking out the memory as they had earlier today.

I pray for the seductive hands of sleep to take their hold on me once more. I am exhausted and more than ready for this day to be over. All I want is to get out of this bed and be with the people I love. I finally have a family again and I can't even be with them. The knowledge of which has left an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. I feel alone again. It's dark and scary here and I want to go home.

* * *

I wake up to the blinding glare of morning light beaming in through my open window. I cover my face with my arms and groan. I quickly realize I am not alone in the room when I hear someone giggle and the light dulls.

I uncover my eyes and see that there is a young nurse in the room who has kindly shut the curtain on the offending window.

"Thank you," I say hoarsely.

_Since when does my voice sound so hoarse?_ I feel like I've swallowed a handful of needles. My throat is raw and dry.

"Water?" I croak.

I tried to add please, but my throat just couldn't take it. I couldn't make the words come out. Instead of speaking, when she hands me the drink I simply smile at her gratefully. She seems to understand because she nods and returns my smile.

"Callie, my name is Jennifer. I'll be your nurse for the day. We have a few things to get through this morning then I will leave you alone," the nurse said politely. "Now I know you can't really talk just yet, so I will keep my Q and A at a minimum. I also brought a pen and paper with me in case you need to write anything down."

I nod at her, not bothering to try my luck at speaking just yet. I take another sip of water and wait for her to continue.

"First, I'm going to have to check your vitals. This won't take long, I promise. Just lay back and relax," Jennifer says with a reassuring smile.

I lay back and stare up at the ceiling. I try to distract myself as she carries on with her morning routine. Thoughts of Brandon flit through my mind. I smile when I think about the perfect morning we had yesterday. Everything was going great until the crash.

I cringe when thoughts of the accident come flooding back. I can't keep doing this. I need to think of something else. I decide to focus my attention on the nurse while she's still here, at least it will keep my mind occupied for a little while.

Jennifer is extra cautious and gentle when she deals with my right side because it took the brunt of the force in the crash. Most of the scrapes and bruises cover my right side. My right arm is badly sprained. I've been told I'm lucky nothing is broken. The swelling has been going down and I'm allowed to get up to go to the bathroom. I still haven't looked at myself in the mirror, too afraid of what I will see. I know it will be a cruel reminder of what happened and I'm just not ready for that.

Within fifteen minutes Jennifer has finished everything she needs to do. She says a quick goodbye, with the promise of being back later. She tells me to push the call button if I need anything, then she leaves, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more.

It's 8:05 am, which means I still have 55 minutes before visiting hours start. It's Sunday, so there's no school, which means I should be able to spend the day with Brandon, Jude, Mariana, and Jesus. Lena is off today, of course, so I will get to see her too. Stef works until 5, so I'll be able to see her tonight. I won't have to spend the entire day alone, just the night and the time in between visiting hours, if I'm lucky.

* * *

As I start to doze off, I hear a soft knock on the door quickly followed by it opening and closing. I glance over at the door with half-lidded eyes. I smile and sit up in bed when I see everyone filing in, Brandon, Jude, Mariana, Jesus, Lena, and even Stef. They're all here. I smile at them as they pull up chairs and gather around me, Brandon and Mariana perching on my bed.

"How are you feeling?" Brandon asks, placing a hand on my forearm briefly.

"Okay, just a little tired and sore," I say, putting up my usual brave front.

The truth is, I'm exhausted both physically and mentally and I'm more than just a little sore. My side is killing me and the migraine just won't go away. They lowered my pain medication dosage this morning because they want me to build up my strength so I can go home as soon as possible. I may be in pain, but I'm not about to argue with going home as soon as I can.

I hate being stuck here. These white walls of doom are like a prison cell. The stench of antiseptic and death doesn't help. I want to be home, lying in my own bed, surrounded by my new family. I don't want to have to be alone every night. Being here feels too much like my life before Jude and I were welcomed into the Fosters' home. It feels like I'm moving backwards instead of forwards and any minute they'll realize what a mistake they made taking me in. The thought leaves me feeling nauseous.

"Did you sleep okay, sweetie, you look tired," Lena says as she fusses over me, fluffing my pillow, adjusting the blankets, mom stuff.

I feel my eyes start to water. It's been a long time since I've had a mom, someone to worry about me and take care of me when I'm sick. I didn't realize how much I needed one until now. I reached out and hugged Lena tight. She returned the hug, kissing the top of my head and smoothing my hair. Suddenly this hospital room doesn't feel so lonely.

When Lena sits back down, Stef reaches her hand out and squeezes mine. "You'll be out of here before you know it," she says reassuringly.

Suddenly Mariana starts bouncing on the bed excitedly, which isn't at all unusual for her. We all turn our attention to her to see what it is that has her so worked up this time.

"I brought you something," she says, grinning widely.

I look at her skeptically, not fond of gifts. "What is it?" I ask hesitantly, not really wanting to know, but not wanting to be rude.

She fishes through her purse for a few seconds before pulling something out. I try to keep my facial expression looking excited, but I know it faltered when I saw what she pulled out. Mariana just looked at me gleefully and flipped open the glossy magazine. I feared for my sanity when she started reading articles from the _Cosmopolitan_ she had in her hands. This is going to be a long afternoon.


End file.
